Me Me Me

This page is all about me, isn’t it? Me. Me. Me. But I would like to start with the two people who had influenced me the most, my parents, because they’d helped me to define who I am.

I learned from my father to appreciate solitary moments. Because of his job, Dad lived alone in a different town for many years. Even when he came home, he spent a lot of time sitting alone. At first, I felt sorry for him. But seeing how content he was - sitting there drinking his tea – I began to understand being alone wasn’t a bad thing. And I began enjoying it.

I also learned from my dad that we shouldn’t ignore quiet people. They don’t say much, but that doesn’t mean they don’t care, or they don’t want you to care about them.

My mom taught me to be brave, not easily being intimidated by others. I am still not as brave as I would like to be and often have to picture her standing by my side supporting me.

She also showed me that I should take my responsibility seriously. She had this thing about duty – fulfilling her duty was her life.

When I was five year old, my father took a job far away from home. As soon as I could write a handful of words, Mom started asking me to write letters to Dad for her. At first, I only wrote whatever Mom told me to write. After a while, that became quite boring, so I started reporting to him what had happened at home, and later I added some of my stories to entertain him. I found out that writing made me feel better. And I haven’t stop writing ever since.

Finally, Here is a list of things I have done in writing.

Book:

Jin-Ling's Two Left, a YA novel, was published on Oct. 1, 2009.

Writing Contest:

2006 Winnipeg Free Press/Writers’ Collective Non-fiction Writing Contest, 1st place – Sister Guan
2005 Minneapolis Writers’ Group Writing Contest 1st place – Old Man Tea
2004 Winnipeg Free Press/Writers’ Collective Non-fiction Writing Contest, 3rd place – After 30 Years, and a Honorable Mention: Grandparents Magic
2002 Kay Snow Nonfiction contest 3rd place – Sliding Doors

Magazines/Newsletter:

2008 Feb. issue of Stories for Children online magazine - How Rat Got to Be First in the Chinese Zodiac
2007 March issue of Generation Today – Playing Safe
2006 July issue of The Sun Magazine – Waking up
2006 May/June issue of Rochester Women Magazine – Oh, Mother!
2005, Dear Mom, I Always Wanted You to Know – My letter to Mom was accepted but at the end, it wasn’t included in the book, but my email to the editor was quoted in the introduction of the book.
2004 Feb., Fate magazine – Tap-Tap-Tap
1998 July 8-21 1998 Women’s Press - Empty What?

Speaking:

April 18, 2009 Rochester Writer's Festival, gave a talk on Beginning, Middle and End.
Sept. 19, 2009, Won first place in Area 84 Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest on .

Others I've started two writing groups: one in 2003 (?) and one 2006. Both groups are still doing well.

Not much, I know. I am having fun and that’s what it counts. ;-)